MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-433): Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Database Development [Hardcover]

Tobias Thernstrom (Author), Ann Weber (Author), Mike Hotek (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0735626391 | ISBN-13: 978-0735626393 | Publication Date: May 20, 2009 | Edition: Har/Cdr

Ace your preparation for the skills measured by MCTS Exam 70-433—and on the job. Work at your own pace through a series of lessons and reviews that fully cover each exam objective. Then, reinforce and apply what you’ve learned through real-world case scenarios and practice exercises. This official Microsoft study guide is designed to help you make the most of your study time.

Maximize your performance on the exam by learning to:

• Create and manage database objects
• Query and modify data; implement subqueries and CTEs * Optimize table structures and data integrity
• Create stored procedures, functions, and triggers
• Manage transactions, error handling, and change tracking
• Tune query performance
• Implement database mail, full-text search, Service Broker, scripts
• Work with XML and SQLCLR Assess your skills with the practice tests on CD. You can work through hundreds of questions using multiple testing modes to meet your specific learning needs. You get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including a customized learning path that describes how and where to focus your studies.

Your kit includes:

• 15% exam discount from Microsoft. Offer expires 12/31/13. Details inside.
• Official self-paced study guide.
• Practice tests with multiple, customizable testing options and a learning plan based on your results.
• 200 practice and review questions.
• 180-day trial of SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition.
• Case scenarios, exercises, and best practices.
• Fully searchable eBook of this guide, plus sample chapters from related books.

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via OReilly Medias Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit OReillys web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to [e-mail].

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tobias Thernstrom has 13+ years' experience with SQL Server, serves as program manager on the SQL Engine Platform Team at Microsoft, and helped develop several Microsoft certifications for SQL Server.

Ann Weber, MCITP, MCSE, is an instructor, consultant, and author with more than 12 years' experience with SQL Server. A Microsoft Certified Trainer, Ann has developed several courses and other learning materials for Microsoft.

Mike Hotek is a SQL Server® expert with three decades' experience as a consultant and solution developer. He has written several books, including Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Step by Step.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 652 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press; Har/Cdr edition (May 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735626391
• ISBN-13: 978-0735626393
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,896 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Development > SQL Server
  • #9 in Books > Computers & Technology > Certification > Microsoft
  • #10 in Books > Computers & Technology > Databases > SQL

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, difficult practice exams, June 24, 2009

By 

Daniel G. Goyette - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-433): Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Database Development (Hardcover)

I purchased this book as soon as it was released, and used it as my exclusive study material for the exam. I took my exam today and passed by a healthy margin. Although I use SQL Server on a daily basis at my job, much of the content of the exam goes beyond my typical day-to-day development tasks, and I don't believe I would have passed the exam had I not used this material to prepare for it.

The only bad thing I have to say about this book involves the Practice Tests provided on the CD. Very frequently, questions would deal with topics that simply were not covered in the book itself. Typically the questions would ask for highly specific syntax to perform fairly obscure tasks. The questions direct you to the chapter and section of the book where the topic is covered, but it was very common for me to find no reference at all to a question's topic when I referred to that section (or when I search the PDF version of the book.) The good news is that each test question, and its answers, are fully explained. But the bad news is that I felt like the practice questions were testing me on materials that simply weren't discussed in the book. This made me feel unprepared for the exam, and it made me question whether the book was incomplete, or if the practice questions were actually beyond the scope of the exam.

In the end, the actual exam had none of the obscure questions I had grown used to seeing on the practice exams, and I believe that every question on the exam itself was covered adequately in the book. So if you're studying for this exam, and you feel like the practice tests are causing you to reconsider taking it, you should probably give the exam a shot. I got a 10% better score on the actual exam than I did on the best practice test I took from the CD.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Bother, September 25, 2009

By 

Benjamin Herrin "Ben H." (Kernersville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-433): Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Database Development (Hardcover)

This rather dull and pedantic book nominally covers the exam material, but the book's organization and samples are far less detailed than the usual Microsoft Press books. Also, the writing was so poor I gave up about half way through and instead bought the 70-433 Transcender exam. The Transcender exam has far better examples and explanations as well as instant feedback.
Don't waste your money with this book. Instead, spend another $30 and get the Transcender product and you'll do just fine on the exam.

Ben H.
MCSD
MCDBA
MCSD.NET

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, Bad practice exams., August 29, 2009

By 

Righteousman (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-433): Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Database Development (Hardcover)

The book:

Great book, covers all of the exam topics very well and in a concise manner. You'll learn everything you need to know by doing the practice lessons that are at the end of every chapter. Even if you're not writing the exam, this book would be great for someone wanting to learn about SQL 2008 changes on the developer level. Highly recommended!

The practice exams that are included:

Are horrible for the most part. Many of the questions are overly complex and some make no sense. For example, to have a persisted view, what SET options have to be set to on. Choose all that apply (from a list of 10 or so possible answers)...nobody with a life is going to know that or even need to know it. Also some of the answers are quite wrong, tried a few of the queries and they failed, even though they were marked as right. I honestly wouldn't even use the practice exams and instead use MeasureUp or SelfTestSoftware.

In summary, the book is great, I went over the book for about a month and a half, and combined with my experience I scored 100% on the exam.